March You Beauty Discovery Box

My monthly dose of beauty newbies arrived today in the form of the You Beauty Discovery Box! The March box is a lovely, spring ready box and you could choose from lots of "Best of British" goodies this month all chosen to make sure that your skin and hair is looking and feeling refreshed and ready for some sunshine.

Like I've mentioned before, one of the things I love about this box is that it is made up from a mix of pre-chosen products and two that you choose yourself from the You Beauty short list.
The first of the products all members got to try this month are sachets of Dragon Fly tea in various flavours. I got Swirling Mist which is a light and delicate white tea and Cape Malay Chai which is an organic spiced rooibos that smells beautiful. I'm not exactly a big tea fan but I'm always happy to give new blends a try so I'm looking forward to trying these.
The other pre-chosen product was one of three possibles from The Vintage Cosmetics Company, a brand that is great quality but I am a little sick of due to its presence in almost every beauty box out there nearly every month... I got a pair of tweezers which I'm pleased about as the other options would have been toe separators or false lashes and at least these I can pop in my handbag for any brow related emergencies.

 When it came to choosing my two products this month it was a tough choice, there were some great products to pick from coming from brands including Dr Lipp, Paul Mitchell and The Body Shop but in the end I went for the Inner Strength bath and shower oil from Aromatherapy Associates and the Beauty Lab Glyco Wash.
Having reviewed a product from Aromatherapy Associates in the lead up to Christmas and falling in love with the...somewhat pricey...brand I jumped at the chance to try this blend of clary sage, frankincense and cardamom which is designed to leave skin feeling beautiful and your mind revitalised and uplifted.
Beauty Lab is a brand that I've heard some great reviews of from other bloggers and as I'm all about loving my skin at the moment I thought the Glyco Wash seemed worth a try. The multifunctional wash is designed to increase cell renewal, unclog pores and wash away all impurities resulting in radiant, youthful looking skin. I'll be giving this one a full review after a couple of weeks use.

Over all, this is another month of being very happy with the You Beauty Discovery box and it remains the only box I subscribe to. For £6.95 including postage I just can't fault it.

Annie xx

Color WOW! Winter Haircare Heroes

Color WOW is a brand that I had heard little about until recently when I was offered the chance to try out a couple of their products. Colour WOW products are targeted at people who colour their hair and want to keep the look and condition as beautiful as possible for as long as possible. I live in Somerset in the South West of England and for those who don't know, the weather here lately has been totally awful with wind and rain throwing itself from all directions and it's sure been playing havoc with my hair so I jumped at the chance to try out some goodies that promise to give frazzled hair some TLC.

I was sent the One-minute Transformation Styling Cream (*) and the Get in Shape 2-in-1 Working Hair Spray (*) from the range in order to smooth my winter hair back to beauty.

The Get in Shape 2-in-1 Working Hair Spray* which retails at £16.50 for 150ml is a non-aerosol formula and instead has a spritzer like you would find on a body spray which is a big plus for me because I hate all the fumes you usually get with hair spray and it has a soft, pleasant scent. The formula is designed to give hair "guts" and strong hold without going dry, crispy or making coloured hair look dull. I use it mostly for my fringe which has a tendency to do whatever it wants and I've found that whilst it doesn't hold it rigid when the wind blows, it does mean that when the wind drops again it falls back into place without being messy or needing constant attention and it really does give it a soft gloss at the same time. Perfect!

The One Minute Transformation Styling Cream*, also £16.50 has given me some mixed results. When applied onto dry hair and just smoothed through I found it made my hair a little oily, maybe because it is designed to give hair an instant hydration boost throughout the day as well as giving styles extra life by replacing natural oils which are lost in chemical treatments and whilst I colour my hair, it really isn't dry. However, I've found that the trick seems to be to run a small amount through hair before blow drying to maximise the styling benefits and give a beautiful gloss with plenty of definition without becoming overly oily.

A bit of  mixed bag for me, I completely adore the hair spray and have done since first use but the styling cream isn't as much of a hit for me. I enjoy it now I've worked out how to use it, but I'm not sure I would personally pay £16.50 as it just isn't that suited to me. You can pick up the Color WOW range in Space NK, I'd like to try the Root Lifting Spray next.

What do you think of the sound of Colour WOW products. Are they something that you'd look at?

Annie xx

Teeez Mysterious Crystal Eye Liner

I mentioned this fabulous eye liner in yesterday's You Beauty Discovery Box post and just had to give it a full review because I've been so impressed. Teeez is a Dutch based brand that I had previously not heard of, and is actually pretty hard to get hold of in the UK I've found having spent some time doing research for this post! Their cosmetics are all beautifully packaged, natural as can be and released in exciting collections. The Mysterious Crystal Eye Liner is part of the Desert Glow range and is available in six excitingly named colours. The shade I have is a deep grey with the name Smokey Quartz.

The packaging, like I mentioned is pretty funky. I personally think on such a small box this looks a little over the top but on some of the wider packaging looks great. The eye liner itself is patterned with the same bold style with splashes of gold which make it look fun but stylish.

The eye liner itself is a silky smooth twist up pencil that just glides onto the eyelid with no dragging or scratching. In the other end there is also a very handy 2-in-1 tool that is both a smudge brush that is kept clean with a plastic cap and when pulled off of the eye liner is a hidden sharpener ensuring you can get both super precise and super smokey looks from the one tool.

As shown here the shade is a lovely shimmery grey shade which I can tell you now does not have any glitter fall out. The wavy swatch was using a fairly light hand which gives a soft, smokey colour which could be buffed out for an eye shadow type of effect. The thick swatch on the right was with a firm hand and more pressure which gives a very even application of colour and looks great worn in a cat flick style. Finally, the swatch above them is heavy but blended out using the smudge brush for a slight gradient effect. I don't personally use smudge brushes often as I like fairly neat looks but it does work well.

After 45 seconds the eye liner sets fast and doesn't budge. A dream if you work long days or plan on partying all night :) In the photo above I had been wiping away at the swatches using a cotton pad and my trusty Nuxe Micellar Water for a good couple of minutes and as you can see, it was still clinging in there just about.

The Teeez Mysterious Crystal eye liners(£13.95) and other products from the brand are available *here*

Annie xx

February You Beauty Discovery Box

The You Beauty Discovery box from You Magazine is slightly different to other beauty boxes on offer in the UK, and also the only one that I currently subscribe to, as I think that it is a much better system.
Rather than creating a box of 5 random sample beauty products that you may have little or no interest in, with the You Beauty Discovery box you pick two products yourself from their Beauty Shortlist that you think you are going to most enjoy and these are then joined by two products picked by the company. All for £6.95 including delivery.
This month's theme was Red Carpet Glamour

The products that everyone received this month were Beyond Dark gluten and dairy free chocolate drops which are delicious and packed full of antioxidants as well as being a lot less bad for you than their dairy filled alternative (fab for a chocolate loving beauty girl like me) and the Charles Worthington Salon at Home Amplifying Volume Treatment which is designed to lift and give volume from all directions to the roots when blow dried. I'm saving this one for a night out to see if it works well combined with my new shorter hairstyle.

The two products that I chose this month were an eye shadow brush from The Vintage Cosmetics Company and an eye liner from Teeez which is a new company to me. To be honest, I was slightly disappointed to see The Vintage Cosmetics Company pop up again because their products are always in beauty boxes but I was in need of a new eye shadow brush so I went with it, and the quality is very good.
The Teeez eye liner, on the other hand, is a total game changer. It is absolutely amazing! I have a full review post of the eye liner going live tomorrow but lets just say it's been my favourite discovery from a beauty box so far. The Rotterdam based company have some fab products and finding companies like this is what I think beauty boxes should be all about!

Annie xx

Benefit Watts Up! Review

Watts Up! (£24.50) is my favourite product from Benefit. This beautiful gold toned highlighter stick makes it super simple to highlight cheek bones, brow bones, the cupids brow or any other area you may wish to illuminate.

This pretty purple tube has been whipped out every morning without fail for the last couple of months because I just love it so much. The soft golden tone warms up my pale skin without looking too much and due to the blending sponge on the other end of the product you can gently blot it until blended into a softer, more daytime friendly shade.

This chubby cream stick has a twist up design that has a protective cap that prevents any damage to the product and helps keep any powder products that may be stored with it from causing any trouble. To use all I do is twist it up a little, swipe across each brow bone and cheek bone before popping the lid back on and flipping over to use the blending tool on the other end.

The blending sponge is domed and just firm enough to keep its shape nicely whilst being soft enough to blend the product into the skin nicely and give a diffused effect. The size I find is perfect for using on the brow bone but for cheek bones I would personally prefer something slightly larger so I use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush.

The photo above shows a swatch of Watts Up! both straight from the stick and blended into the skin using the blending sponge. As you can see, the colour is nice and warm but doesn't look too over the top on my fair skin and where the consistency is nice and creamy it's great for achieving a subtle look as well as something more dramatic for the evening. When light hits it, the formula is designed to bounce light and create an illuminated, soft focus effect that is incredibly flattering. And to cap it off, the staying power is great too! Holds in place all day!
If I'm totally honest, I simply cannot fault this product. With most things if I think hard enough I can find some sort of negative factor that I'd like improved but with this I really can't. I love it and if I was going to advise you to try just on product from Benefit, this would be it, hands down.

Annie xx

January Favourites 2014!

Suddenly it seems that February is upon us, which is crazy since it feels like January has only just begun, but here we are.
It's been a month of rediscovering old favourites rather than purchasing new especially since I'm not currently working so I've been shopping my stash and have fallen in love all over again with products that I've owned for a while.

First up is the very first perfume I ever owned and I can't actually remember where or how I got it but I rediscovered the Britney Spears Curious perfume just before Christmas and have been loving it ever since. It's such a warm, long lasting scent made up from light fruits and florals held to the skin with a base of vanilla and sandalwood. Usually I'm not a fan of celebrity fragrances but believe it or not, this one is actually really sensual and sophisticated.
Who doesn't love Nars blushers? I bought Orgasm around this time last year and loved it for months before moving on to bronzer for the summer. I used this during the pantomime season to add a pop of coral glow and since then haven't been able to get enough of it, especially now I have my fringe back so I'm going for an almost doll like look with pale skin, pink cheeks and bright lips. Beautiful!
Illamasqua is without a doubt one of my favourite makeup brands. The products are beautiful and the ranges are always so unique. Sparce is a baby pink speckle effect polish from the I'mperfection collection. I also have Speckle which is the same effect in purple which I use fairly often but the other day I picked up Sparce as a change and remembered just how pretty this mini egg reminiscent shade is!
I've raved a lot recently about the Clinique Spot Treatment Gel and oh my goodness I've needed it in this last week or so especially! After a few too many late nights my skin rebels but this works wonders to keep it in check and back to normality super fast.
Finally is the Rumble in the Jungle palette from Catrice. I picked this up when I was last over in Mallorca along with a few other bits to try out the brand. I adore all four of the colours and they work so well together. I've been using either the purple or light green along with my Naked 3 palette to add colour along the crease and just above to liven up the look a little because we all know how I like colour!

What have been your favourites during January?
Annie xx

Seventeen Va Va Voom Mascara

Finding a new mascara is something I find a bit of a drag. They all promise so much and to be honest, I find that half of them just don't deliver so lately when I ran out of the Soap and Glory Thick and Fast (which does work well by the way!) I asked one of the girls I worked with what she would recommend for under £10 and just went with it. She recommended the Seventeen Va Va Voom offering for just £6.29, and you know what? I think it may just be the best mascara I've ever tried!

Seventeen cosmetics have always been consistently good in my experience so why I hadn't thought to try one of their mascaras before I don't know. I think it may have been the beauty snob inside me wanting to be using Benefit or Estee Lauder. Va Va Voom is a volume mascara that is designed to lift, give definition and give an almost false lash effect. I went for the shade blackest black and with a couple of coats I definitely agree that it lives up to its claims and have actually been asked several times whether I'm wearing false lashes.

The brush size is pretty good; nice and big without being too clumsy and the tapered end makes it easy to pick out shorter lashes. It picks up a good amount of product without having to wipe loads away before using it and what I love most is that I have no trouble at all with clumps with this mascara! I don't know whether it's the brush or the formula but it is just so perfectly non-clumpy!
I can't make up my mind about the packaging. It's hardly the sleek tube of a high end offering, but it is pretty funky and I like the black and white, and to be honest, I do my mascara in private (no one wants to see the mouth half open mascara face) and this only lives in my drawers anyway so who cares that it isn't gold or curved in an appealing manner!

For £6.29 you can't go wrong and I urge you to give the Va Va Voom mascara a chance when you next run out. I'm a convert.
Have you tried this before? What did you think? Which mascara do you always repurchase?
Annie xx

Bobbi Brown Corrector First Look

Correctors aren't a big product on the beauty market and I have to say that like most, I don't know a huge amount about them, however I have recently re-read the Bobbi Brown makeup manual (post coming in a few days) and my curiosity got the better of me so I found myself popping into the local store to find out more.

Correctors are an important step in Bobbi Brown's makeup process and are used to brighten and correct the tone of skin under the eye before applying concealer. The creamy correctors are either peach or pink toned as these are the shades needed to neutralise the blue or green tone of dark under eye circles and the light formula is perfect for dabbing on lightly using your ring finger.

I was matched to the shade Light to Medium Bisque which is a fairly light pink tone and when dabbed on melts into my skin tone perfectly. I'm still learning how to use this product properly and so I'll do a follow up review when I feel I've really got the hang of it but so far, I have to say that I haven't been as impressed as I hoped. It isn't the coverage that lets this product down for me because that really cannot be faulted; dark circles are banished and the shade blends perfectly with foundation. The problem I have found however, is that whilst this claims to be a crease free product, no matter how little I use and how well I set it with powder and concealer, I still get left with AWFUL creasing issues. I simply cannot keep this stuff in place!

Does anyone have any experience using this product? How have you made it work for you? Or have you, like me, found it not to live up to its crease free claim in the slightest? You can pick up the Bobbi Brown corrector for £18.50 *here*
Annie xx

A Beautiful Birthday Box

As I mentioned yesterday, I recently did a birthday box swap with a lovely lady from the beauty group I am part of on facebook. We set a budget of £40, gave each other a good idea of the sort of things that we liked and set off to put together a big box of goodies for one another. Here's what was in my gift-my goodness I was excited to unwrap all of these lovely things :D

As you can see, Lolly the Grumpy Kitty decided she wanted to get involved with photo taking so please excuse the massive head n the foreground :P There was such a great variety of things in this box, just looking makes me excited.

Nichola put a fab selection of sweet treats into the box. There was also a melody pop and a love hearts dib dab...they got eaten before I took the photo though. I made a best friend very happy by taking the rainbow drops over when we had a girly evening.

Just throwing this out there, but these socks are loved a CRAZY amount. They remind me of what I think a Minecraft owl would look like. And also how thoughtful to pick up something owly because of my little obsession :) The Yankee tarts are gorgeous foodie scents and because they're discontinued scents I'm really going to treasure using them.

Skincare is one of my favourite things, I love trying out new products and if you read my post yesterday then you'll already know that since trying the Nuxe goodies, I have fallen in love with them. I haven't used the La Roche Posay or Melvita yet because I have so much on the go but they both also sound amazing.

Next up was some body products to keep me feeling beautiful all over. The square soap was brought back from Nichola's holiday which I thought was a lovely touch, it has a lovely clean, honey scent and as soon as I've finished up th bar I'm using (which fittingly is a big version of the little Body Shop Chocomania hearts here) I will be moving on to this. What excited me most out of these products though was the Betty Hula Anti-bacterial Hand Cream which is scented with champagne and spice. I haven't used Betty Hula products before and this smells and feels divine on my skin.

These three were popped straight into my handbag for their sheer usefulness. I was so excited to see the Bath and Body Works mini sanitiser in the box because I haven't had the chance to try the range before and I've heard so many amazing things, and I haven't been disappointed- it smells delicious! The peach body spray has a lovely scent too, very sweet and fresh which is perfect for a midday pick me up.

Its no secret that my biggest love is makeup so I was soooo excited to unwrap these goodies especially. I actually squealed when I opened the Illamsqua! The MAC lipstick was also a real excitement and I have a post on the way about that beauty. I wasn't as excited about the Baby Lips UK launch as a lot of beauty fanatics so hadn't picked one up before receiving my swap box but I really was missing out, I adore the silky smooth formula and light coloured finish so I have a review of that coming up too :)

So many amazing things. I really was spoilt with this swap and I cannot express just how grateful I am for everything I received and will love using them all. There were also a selection of samples nestled in among the gifts and the package was contained in a beautiful blue box with a peacock on the lid (another of my favourite animals :D)
I am a very lucky lady!

Annie xx

L'Oreal Line of Beauty Collection Review

Ok, so #blogyoursocksoffseptember didn't get off to the best start since I didn't actually have access to the internet properly but better late than never I say! Tomorrow (6th) is my birthday sdo there might not be a post then but other than that we are back on it!

I was recently sent the gorgeous Line of Beauty collection(*) from L'Oreal to have a little play with and review and I have to say that over all I have been fairly impressed. In the collection you can buy the Blackbuster Super Liner which is a thick, felt tip style liner designed to create big, bold lines, the Perfect Slim Super Liner which is the same felt tip style liner however it is designed to create beautifully neat fine lines, the GelMatic Super Liner which has the precision of a pen liner with the intensity of a gel and finally the Super Liner Brow Artist which is a 2 in 1 brow pencil and sealing wax.

The range was designed to create bold, catwalk inspired looks, which are set to be a huge trend during autumn and winter and I can't fault it on that front. Combined, the set really does equip you to master the perfect liner looks with relatively little effort. I've been using the Blackbuster to line the eyelid and then using the Perfect Slim to create cat eye flicks and edge the lower lash line. I then finish the look using the GelMatic along the waterline which over all creates a beautifully elegant but bold eye that I love.

I'll be honest, I've had a bit of a love hate relationship with the two pen liners. The design of the liners themselves is great and the nib allows you to create very precise lines and they really are very versatile and great for creating a range of looks, however I have had a bit of a problem keeping them on and in place. I don't have any trouble with oily lids or any other liner slipping off however I find these only too happy to creep onto my cheeks, forehead and nose during the day (god knows how) and even after setting with a little translucent powder they still transfer onto the eyelid above the crease so maybe a little work on the formula is needed.

I was originally most excited about the Blackbuster liner having seen it advertised on the tv and until the set arrived I wasn't even aware that the was a brow product in the range however after spending some time using the whole collection, I have to say that the stand out product for me is actually the Gelmatic liner. I simply cannot fault it. The colour is intense and long lasting, the formula soft and creamy and I haven't found it to smudge of crease so for me it has been the perfect gel pencil and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

So all in all, a bit of a mixed bag for me, although I do stand by the collection being a good concept, and if it was sold as a set it would make a good gift.
The products are available nationwide, and are relatively low cost so I think they're all worth a try.
Perfect Slim £6.99
Blackbuster £6.99
GelMatic £5.99
Brow Artist £5.49

Have you tried any of the range? What have you thought?
Annie xx

Reaching for Recently

Oh my goodness it's been hot here! Living in the south west we've been getting the hottest of hot weather and boy it makes makeup choices tricky. I'm really not used to having my makeup slide off my face in the UK but some products just haven't been able to hack it!
With a little experimentation though I've found these products to all be fab, even in the heat and beating sun.

Ginvera Green Tea BB Cream- Foundation has been the biggest problem in the heat because most have just made my skin feel clogged or have just slid off but the Ginvera BB cream has held its own. I've been using it because of the good coverage, SPF 30 (definitely essential right now) and because, being from Singapore, the formula is able to stand up to heat and humidity.
MAC Coppertone Blusher- I use this as a bronzer rather than a blush and just use  little to contour cheeks and add definition but the colour is gorgeous in the sun and I find MAC powders are the best for being long lasting but weightless on the skin.
MAC Lightscapade Skin Finish- This is a product that I've loved since purchasing but as someone whos a little hooked on highlighters, it can tend to be a little neglected. In the same way as Coppertone, the powder feels weightless on the skin but sits beautifully and lasts for hours. I use this around the outer corners of my eyes, along cheek bones and down the centre of my nose to highlight...and it also helps keep my foundation on!
MAC Painterly Paint Pot- Always a staple product for me. I've found that more than ever I've been needing something to keep eyeshadow sat in place and MAC paint pots are simply unbeatable, especially Painterly as it also evens out colour and conceals dark circles.
Lush Strong Lipstick- The whole Lush Emotional Brilliance range has been really good through the heat actually. I find the colours stay in place, don't dry out and also don't spread half way across my face if I get sweaty. I've been wearing Strong a lot because the warm toned red is really pretty and on trend. The long lasting formula also really helps when you need to constantly be drinking water but don't have time to re-apply constantly :p
Lush Sophisticated Eyeshadow- Another Emotional Brilliance colour! Sophisticated is a soft, shimmery colour that is really easy to wear and I've been loving it just with a little mascara for a quick and effortless look that stays in place.
17 Lip Liner- One final staple has been a clear, slightly illuminating lip liner that stops lipstick from feathering across my face from excess heat. This one was really cheap but works just as well as others I've tried and for me, that makes it a winner!

Worn together, I think these items work really well and create a soft, fresh faced look thats easy to maintain in the heat.
One thing that I've really noticed though is that MAC seems to be an unbeatable brand in this weather, which only makes me love it more :)
Have you found your makeup routine has suffered in the sun? What products have you been reaching for most? Or have you been braving a bare faced look like I wish I was brave enough to?
Annie xx

No 7 Instant Radiance Foundation Review

Finally I've pulled myself together and uploaded the photos for this review.
I bought the No 7 Instant Radiance Foundation at the end of June when I got paid and have been loving it since.

This foundation is marketed as being a medium coverage foundation that will provides a "radiant boost for tired, stressed skin" and after testing it out for the last two weeks I'd definitely be happy to agree with that claim. Whilst I try not to look as the long list of fake ingredients piled into makeup, this foundation includes a small amount of ginger root extract which is an ingredient I love for its energising and blood flow stimulating properties. The effect of this in a foundation is to brighten skin and keep it looking away and perky.

The packaging is nicely designed and made using clear, lightweight plastic. The clear plastic makes it easy to know when you need to buy a new tube and is a lot lighter than the glass alternative would be. There is also a built in pump thankfully (big pet peeve of mine if there isn't one!) But one of the best things about the foundation from formula and packaging alone would have to be the inclusion of SPF which means that I can head out for the day knowing I have that protection on my face.

As you can see from the photo above the coverage is nice and even with a lovely dewy finish without looking oily. I'm prone to dark circles under my eyes because I'm fairly pale skinned but this foundation does a good job to cover them and I've had compliments on how my skin looks whilst I've been out which is always a good endorsement!
So what's the damage? A tube costs £12.50 which I think is pretty reasonable for a good coverage, nice finish foundation and in terms of wear I don't need to reapply during the day and still look fairly flawless at the end of the day. And being from No 7 they use their funky colour match system to make sure you get a shade as near as possible to your natural skin tone so you don't have to do the hard work of finding the right shade yourself! Yay!

Have you tried this foundation? Or any other No 7 that you've really liked?
Annie xx

FOTD- Fresh Faced and Wide Eyed

I think I may have found it! I mean my perfect non-designer foundation!
You may remember that the other day I blogged about some cheeky payday buys. One of those was the Instant Radiance Foundation by No 7 which I picked up for £12.50, well it turns out that its really great!

I admit that usually I'm a bit of a foundation snob because I think that there's no point in using high end paint on a cheapo canvas so I usually spend quite a bit to get the best base possible for my makeup but I've not liked a foundation this much since accidentally falling for the Dior BB cream so I'm more than happy...along with my bank balance! I won't say too much now because I have a full review coming up tomorrow, but for now I'll just say that the finish is light, dewy and fresh; just what I like for summer.

So whats on my mug?
Face:

• No 7 Instant Radiance Foundation in cool vanilla
• Nars Orgasm Blusher
• Lush Emotional Brilliance Sheer Powder
• Illamasqua Gleam in Aurora
• Lush Feeling Younger Highlighter

Eyes:

• Bobbi Brown Mahogany powder on brows
• MAC Painterly paint pot
• MAC Eclair paint pot
• Soap and Glory Thick and Fast mascara

Lips:

• Lush Strong lipstick
• Lush Vibrance lipstick

It always amazes me when I write down how many different products I use without realising. I swear it doesn't feel like it at the time. Do you find that too?

Have you tried any of the No 7 foundations? What do you think?

Annie xx

The Naughty Body Shop Haul!

I'm sure you've all heard about the Body Shop 40% discount code thats been floating around lately, simply enter EXTRATREAT online or mention the code 14668 instore for 40% everything-sale items included.
Of course I took full advantage and used this as a chance to stock up on all my favourites and the things I've been wanting to try. Needless to say, my basket ended up pretty full!
So what did I buy?

1. Rainforest Balance Shampoo- I've wanted to try this for a while because whilst I love Lush products I just haven't found the right shampoo for me so I thought I'd branch out and try a different range of cruelty free shampoos. This smells amazing and so far I really like it.
2. Cucumber Cleansing Milk- I grabbed this when I saw it reduced to £2 because the cucumber cleansers are known for being totally amazing. Really calming and soothing on the skin yet still effective. Well worth stocking up on.
3. Foundation Brush- If there was one thing I wish Lush sold its makeup brushes, I think they'd go down so well with customers who want something cruelty free and high quality but as we don't, Body Shop score top marks with me for theirs because they are cruelty free, super soft and very effective. One day I will own them all :p
4. Spiced Vanilla Hand Cream- I popped this Christmas range hand cream in my basket for £1 because I've previously tried the Candied Ginger one and got hooked on the smell and feel. I'm obsessed with hand cream so I've stashed it away for now whilst I finish off the L'occitane one I'm enjoying at the moment.
5. Ginger Shimmer Lip Balm- Another Christmas product found super cheap in the sale! Lip Balm is another addiction of mine and I always have at least 3 on the go. At the moment its Lush Honey Trap, Body Shop Chocomania and now this one too. The domed shape makes it really quick and easy to use and I really like how it looks too!
6. Facial Massager- Sorry Body Shop, but this is another product bought just because Lush don't make one. Facial massagers are great for stimulating blood flow around the face and really encouraging products to sink deeper into the skin maximising their effects. I use this in the evening wth my Lush Full of Grace serum bar and it feels totally amazing!
7. Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion- I received a couple of sample pots of this lotion earlier in the year and haven't looked back since. I might even go as far as saying it is my perfect moisturiser. Its light, smells lovely and sinks in fast leaving skin feeling plumped, hydrated and soft without looking oily or clogging pores.
8. Vanilla Eau De Toilette- Total impulse buy here! Vanilla is one of my favourite scents. Soft, sweet and very comforting. As soon as I sniffed this it fell into my basket ready to be kept in my handbag for mid-day top ups. The scent is actually incredibly similar to the scented candles I burn constantly so maybe thats why I find it so cosy.
9. Vitamin C Energising Face Spritz- Another product I've wanted for a while. I was shown this just before going to Tenerife in February and haven't been able to get it out of my head. A quick spray every morning feeds my face and wakes me up ready to get going. The smell is also unbelievably good; zesty and fresh.

Phew, word heavy post! Thats my guilty haul. I also picked up the Pomegranate Day Cream for my mum and a Love Your Body card so 11 items all together. And the over all cost? £47 unbelievable right? I was more than happy with that.

Did you take advantage of the 40% offer? What did you buy? If you wrote a haul post then I'd love to see :)

Annie xx

Illamasqua Gleam in Aurora Reviewed

Another of my Illamasqua sale purchases! Gleam is a product I had been lusting after for a while in the shade Aurora which is a heavenly pearlescent champagne colour. It really is a magical shade.
Gleam is Illamasqua's answer to a cream highlighter designed to be able to be used on both face and body and is available in 2 shades; Aurora and Supernatural which is a deep bronze tone.

The Gleam comes in the stylish classic Illamasqua packaging, and is slightly larger in size than the blushers, weighing in at 6.5g of product. The flip up lid is easy to use without feeling like it would come loose in your handbag and the compact also feels nice and sturdy. It does bug me that the light cream shows up so much is it gets on the black case but thats just me being a neat freak! The highlighter is also a good size to either dab with a stippling brush or with fingers which is a nice bonus and something I miss with highlighters such as High Beam (Benefit) or Feeling Younger (Lush) so it does feel nice and versatile.

Wear wise, I like to dab this around the outside corner of my eyes and along the cheek bone and as you can see in the photo above, it reflects the light really nicely and gives a nice glow without looking too much. I've found that I like to dab with my fingers best because you can achieve a nice soft, subtle look easily, but I do buff out with a brush lightly after if I feel I've been a little heavy handed. The colour also looks pretty highlighting the brow bone, but this doesn't show very well in my photo, oops! I find that the colour doesn't fade really during the day and I arrive home with the same healthy glow visible as when I first apply so I'm more than happy with the quality. At £18 this product doesn't come cheap but I have completely fallen in love with it and think that for the quality and how little is needed per use, the price isn't as bad as you might originally think and I would happily replace this when it runs out.
You can pick up a Gleam compact here from the Illamasqua website :)

So what do you think? Pretty eh? Would you be able to justify buying yourself?
Annie xx

Makeup Mugshot and Mermaid Nails

Today has been one of those strange days where you just wake up feeling pants for no particular reason. I know I'm prone to the odd gloomy day but this has just been weird.
So plans have been cancelled, calm, happy music is being played and vanilla scented candles have been lit.

I always find painting my nails pretty colours is great for cheering me up so today I've gone for glitter and used a combination of GOSH "Ocean" and Barry M "Amethyst Glitter" and created pretty mermaid nails :)

The photo doesn't show just how bright and pretty the colours are in the light but it gives you a good idea :)

The other thing that makes me feel more like me when I feel rubbish is bright red lipstick. I sort of feel like if you give off confidence from the outside maybe you'll feel better on the inside too.

Whats on my face:

Skin:
Estee Lauder invisible fluid foundation
Lush Emotional Brilliance face powder
Benefit Dandelion blusher
Lush Feeling Younger highlighter

Eyes:
Bobbi Brown Mahogany powder on brows
Lush Sophisticated eyeshadow
Soap and Glory Thick and Fast mascara

Lips:
Lush bubblegum lip scrub
Illamasqua Sangers lipstick

I have to say that just doing these little things has made me feel a lot better about myself :) I'm lots calmer and ready to face the world again.

What do you do to cheer yourself up on an off day?

Annie xx

MAC Temperature Rising Collection Scorching Haute Nail Varnish Review

Sunday was a naughty day and I found myself at the MAC counter drooling over all of the pretty colours whilst two of my friends tried to drag me away! Everything is just so pretty and pigmented!
In the end I made two cheeky purchases, both limited edition, and both sooo gorgeous.
The first was the Scorching Haute nail varnish from the Temperature Rising collection.

Scorching Haute is a peautiful bright purple glitter polish and is every bit as pretty on the nails as in the bottle. Its the perfect colour for tanned summer skin!
There is a mixture of fine and slightly larger pieces of glitter floating in a purple base colour and you only need two thin coats to create a great, full cover glitter effect. On top of this I used a single coat of Nails Inc caviar top coat for extra shine and I have to say, I was so happy with the finished effect. They looked perfect.

However...
This second photo was taken this morning after having only painted them yesterday evening and after not having done anything harsh on the hands at all. I was gutted. Two coats of high quality glitter polish, complete with a high quality top coat should not be chipping in under 12 hours, especially when more than half of that time was spent asleep!

These two photos show how my two hands look now, after just one day wearing the nail varnish. I haven't been at work, I haven't done anything such as washing up that would expose them to much water and haven't really done anything out of the usual.
This is my first MAC nail varnish and I have to say that I won't be spending the money on another because I've just been so disappointed. I have always been a big MAC fan, as you will know from all my reviews, but this has really knocked my faith in the quality of their formulas a little. Such a shame.
Scorching Haute cost me £11 and is a limited edition product so if you do fancy giving it a go then get in there fast.
Annie xx

Golden Ointment from Lanolips Reviewed

Dry skin can be really damaging to self esteem. For years I've had incredibly dry, sore elbows that just wouldn't go away no matter what I tried using on them. Because of this, when I was given the chance to try out the new festival sized mini's of both the 101 Ointment* (review to come) and Golden Ointment* I was particularly interested to test them out on my poor old elbows.

The Golden Ointment* comes in a very cute vintage inspired tin that is no bigger than a tub of lip balm and contains 12.5g of product, perfect for dropping into your handbag or stowing in your travel kit for festivals or summer holidays. I am not personally a fan of using lanolin on my lips for personal belief reasons but this ointment is the first thing that I have used on my elbows that has actually worked in softening and hydrating the sore skin and making the pain go away. I have also used it, to amazing effect, on my legs and feet when I get eczema flair up and found it to help so much with speeding up the healing process and lessening the urge to scratch it and make the area worse.

Lanolin is an amazing ingredient, extracted from the wool sheered from sheep, it is the yellow waxy substance that provides a protective barrier in the wool and stops sheep who stand in the cold and rain for hours getting cold and soaked through. In cosmetic use it is amazing for locking moisture into skin and hair, providing a protective layer on the skin for people who work in harsher conditions and is also classed as a vegetarian ingredient so extra yay!

The Lanolips Golden Ointment* harnesses the brilliance of lanolin as an ingredient and enhances it with the addition of very moisturising yet anti-bacterial Manuka honey, castor oil and apricot oil so that the product is the very best it can be for giving you an indulgent and deeply nourishing effect.
My one problem with this product is the use of glycerin in the ingredients. Glycerin is derived from animal sources and is not vegetarian, by using glycerine instead which is made using non-animal derivatives the product could have been kept vegetarian and been made suitable for so many more people.

Over all I have been incredibly impressed with this product, and the mini pot makes it perfect for carrying around and applying whenever needed on the run. I now never leave the house without this little tin and will definitely be re-purchasing for years to come. The amount of relief I've been given from using on my elbows and eczema has been huge and after years of being self-conscious about my elbows I finally feel more confident in showing them. I cannot recommend it enough.

You can pick up the travel tin of Lanolips Golden Ointment for £7.99 from most larger pharmacies, Boots and Superdrug stores. Well worth the money in my opinion.

Annie xx

Benefit Sun Beam Highlighter Review on Lighter Skin

Its been a while since I've blogged properly I know, we were away and now our house is full of stress because we're having our whole heating system replaced so it's been hard to find a quiet minute so sit and do some writing. But thats all pretty much over now so I'm back properly and todays post is a review that several people have asked me to post.

High Beam by Benefit is without a doubt one of the most loved highlighters on the market because it is easy to use, long lasting and flattering on almost all skin tones. The next addition to the collection was Moon Beam, another lovely, shimmering enhancer but what the collection lacked was a golden bronze highlighter and that is where Sun Beam comes in.

Sun Beam is the latest of the "beam" collection and is designed to flatter darker skin tones, olive shades and to  give a gorgeous summer glow. Now, being fairly pale, Sun Beam wasn't really created to be for my skin tone but I thought it was worth a trial and if not suitable, I could just use it as a cream eye shadow, BUT joy of joys, with the right makeup, this looks gorgeous even on fairly fair tones.

The applicator is the same as with the other Benefit highlighters which is oh so good for dotting the product in arches around the eye, along cheek bones or for a little sweep along shoulder bones. Because the product is fairly rich in colour as well as thick and creamy, you only need a small amount per use so this bottle lasts a looong time, I literally only use three dots on each side of my face per use so thats hardly anything making the  £18.50 price tag, which may at first seem a little steep, a whole lot more reasonable.

The swatch on my hand is one quick sweep with the brush. As you can see, the product is a lovely copper toned bronze that has a shimmer running through it. Now, I took this photo in Tenerife when my hand was a little tanned and at this point I think it had just about become a good colour match, so during the winter I wouldn't usually be able to wear this on my fair skin (I'm always the lightest foundation shades so I really am light) but as the weather warms up and my skin naturally tans a bit it becomes ok for me. My advice when it comes to skin tones it to, of course pop in and visit your nearest Benefit counter to swatch, but probably avoid if you are super pale and don't tend to tan at all. If like me, you tan easily, I would really recommend even on english rose tones for the summer as it gives such a warm, pretty glow and I think makes me look less "pasty".

My super heavy swatch from the 3rd photo left me with quite a yellow looking effect even when blended in but I had to show you how beautifully Sun Beam catches the light of the sun. It really does light up. On cheeks it gives you a lovely fresh glow and really enhances a tan. In Tenerife I wore this with Soap and Glory Solar Powder and Nars Orgasm Blush for a warm flush of summer colour.

So, my over all verdict? Yes Sun Beam can make a gorgeous highlighter, even on fairer tones, but I think that for it to work you need to have warm base tones to the skin and perhaps wait for the sunshine to come out before popping it on, paired with a little bronzer and a smoldering blush. Try before you buy fellow english roses :)

What do you think of Benefit Sun Beam? Have you tried it? How does it match up to your skin tone? What do you wear it with?
Annie x